


Star Force Episode #422 - There's No Place Like Home

by LicieOIC, WorryinglyInnocent



Series: Star Force [6]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Star Force - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Once Upon a Time Fusion, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, F/M, Screenplay/Script Format, Script for a Fictional Show, Series Finale, Show within a Show, Star Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 18:36:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11041929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LicieOIC/pseuds/LicieOIC, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorryinglyInnocent/pseuds/WorryinglyInnocent
Summary: Here it is, the stunning two-hour finale of the entire Star Force series! The crew is SO close to home, but are hijacked by space pirates! Something's not quite right about them, though... And the whole thing goes deeper than anyone suspected. Will the Aurora Borealis make it home and will everyone make it there alive? The momentous conclusion to a modern sci-fi phenomenon awaits!





	1. Act One

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Friendships and Fandoms](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5053462) by [WorryinglyInnocent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorryinglyInnocent/pseuds/WorryinglyInnocent). 



> This is it, it's the finale! Worry and I write these episodes out of order, so there may be more Star Force episodes published in the future, muse depending. We hope you enjoy this one, it took a lot of time, but I think the end result is worth it. :D I had to break it up into the five separate acts because it was so long. Enjoy a chaptered script this time!
> 
> Read the fic "Friendships and Fandoms" by WorryinglyInnocent to get the behind the scenes story! Star Force is the characters from Once Upon A Time filming a sci-fi show, her fic is the actors' story and you should DEFINITELY read it to avoid getting seriously confused by this script/fic.
> 
> If you would like to download this story in true screenplay format (the way the "actors" would have seen it!), click here:  
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-lSAo3a9VAl9gc1Zck8VdflJZa14YMg912HCcwdlbIU/edit?usp=sharing

Star  Force

“There’s No Place Like Home”

 

Written by   
LicieOIC and WorryinglyInnocent

 

Directed by   
Cara Mallory

 

Created by   
WorryinglyInnocent

 

* * *

 

SET LIST

INTERIORS

_ AURORA BOREALIS _ \- 

  * INT. BRIDGE - DAY
  * INT. ENGINEERING - DAY
  * INT. BRIG CORRIDOR - DAY
  * INT. CREW QUARTERS CORRIDOR - DAY
  * INT. BRIG - DAY
  * INT. DUCTS - DAY
  * INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
  * INT. CHARMING’S QUARTERS - DAY
  * INT. SNOW’S QUARTERS - DAY
  * INT. HOOK’S QUARTERS - DAY
  * INT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY
  * INT. SECURITY - DAY
  * INT. MED BAY - DAY



FORCE BASE - 

  * INT. FORCE BASE CENTRAL ARCHIVES - DAY
  * INT. FORCE BASE INTERSTELLAR OPERATIONS HUB - DAY
  * INT. FORCE BASE SPECIAL OPERATIONS CONTROL ROOM - DAY
  * INT. _AURORA BOREALIS_ HANGAR - DAY



EXTERIORS

  * EXT. SPACE



VARIOUS OTHER GREEN SCREEN SETS FOR FLASHFORWARD MONTAGE

  * CHARMING’S HOUSE - DAY
  * ENDANGERED SPECIES SANCTUARY - DAY
  * LEYAH’S HOUSE - DAY
  * PUB OF THE FUTURE! - NIGHT
  * STILTSKIN’S HOUSE - DAY
  * SPACE GOLF SIMULATOR - DAY
  * SPACE JAIL - NIGHT



 

* * *

 

CAST LIST

Captain Hook - Killian Jones

Commander Leyah - Emma Swan

Lieutenant Charming - David Nolan

Officer Snow - Mary Margaret Blanchard

Dr Stiltskin - Rum Gold

Miss Greenie - Zelena West

Lieutenant Knight - Lance Camelot

Officer Hunter - Graham Humbert

Officer Arendelle - Elsa Snow

Officer Tink - Tina Bell

Chief Engineer Gus - Billy Mouse

Engineer Walsh - Frank Emerald

Engineer Thomas - Sean Herman

Henry - Henry Swan

Officer Nova - Astrid Star

Force General King - Albert Spencer

Force Colonel Rheulgorm - Fae Blue

Lacey Stiltskin - Belle French

Hordor - TBC

Master Engineer Hans - TBC

Officer Perkins - TBC

Tau High Commander - TBC

Tau goons - TBC

 

* * *

 

STAR FORCE

#422

“There’s No Place Like Home”

 

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. SPACE - DAY

We open on the vastness of space, great and glittering. The music begins, high and haunting. The camera begins to move, tracking through space, and the stars begin to move past the camera. 

As the shot continues, planets begin to zoom past, planets of all shapes and colors, going by faster and faster. Though some of these will only appear for a split second, sharp-eyed viewers may recognize each of these planets - they have all appeared on the show in the past. We are following _Aurora’s_ four-year voyage in fast forward, with the camera even darting through the meteor shower that precluded the trip to Gelidus.

Once the last planet has moved out of the shot, a bright dot appears on the horizon in the center of the screen, getting bigger and bigger every second. 

Before we can fully tell what we are coming up on, the music swells into a grand orchestral version of the theme song, and we’re suddenly pushing through the bright fiery blue lights of _Aurora’s_ engines and then the camera pans around in slow-motion, showing off the spaceship in grand fashion.

The shot pans up to the exterior of the bridge and right through the viewing screen into:

CRANE SHOT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

All bridge personnel are present and accounted for, but the energy is somehow charged. Everyone seems on their toes and excited.

HOOK   
Officer Snow?

SNOW looks over at HOOK from her station with a smile.

SNOW  
Exiting warp in two minutes,   
fifty seconds, Captain.

She has obviously been giving him periodic updates every few minutes, but she isn’t too exasperated. She’s excited too.

Hook pounds his fist on the arm of his captain’s chair, impatiently. LEYAH, KNIGHT, and CHARMING all look amused.

LEYAH   
You know, asking her over and over isn’t   
going to make it happen any sooner.

HOOK  
I know, I know. It’s just… this   
is it! Today’s the day!

CHARMING   
Don’t jinx it!

KNIGHT  
You don’t really believe in that   
stuff, do you, Charming?

CHARMING  
After four years and everything we’ve   
been through, I’m not above knocking   
on wood, rubbing a rabbit’s lucky foot,   
or even praying.

ARENDELLE  
I think Stiltskin’s got the market   
cornered on prayers.

TINK   
Really?

ARENDELLE  
(nods)  
He probably won’t admit it, but I’ve   
seen him with a little figurine of his   
deity in the medbay.

From the look on Tink’s face, she thinks that is just adorable. HUNTER pipes up from the security station.

HUNTER  
Good thing, because I don’t think a rabbit   
would be easily attainable out here. Just  
please tell me you don’t go in for   
lucky underpants, Lieutenant.

CHARMING   
(laughing)   
No.

LEYAH   
I think we’re  all grateful for that.

SNOW   
A minute and a half, Captain!

HOOK  
Excellent. Take us out of warp nice   
and slow.

LEYAH   
Savoring the moment?

HOOK   
It’s what I’m good at, luv.

LEYAH   
Well…  one thing, anyway.

He waggles his eyebrows at Leyah as Snow moves to follow the order, and we: 

FADE TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - DAY

The engineering crew looks up from their work as the warp core begins to fade from intense brightness in accordance to Snow’s piloting. WALSH, THOMAS, and GUS are also excited.

THOMAS   
Is it time?

GUS  
Must be, if Snow’s taking us   
out of warp.

WALSH  
Well, I hope so. Chistery can’t handle   
much more excitement.

THOMAS  
Why’s he excited? He doesn’t know   
what’s happening.

WALSH  
No, but he can tell that I’m  
excited and that tends to make   
him… well…

GUS AND THOMAS   
(knowingly)   
Ohhh… 

Walsh glares at them.

WALSH   
Now, don’t say it like  that !

They feign innocence.

GUS   
I dunno what you mean, Walsh. It   
has nothing to do with us if your…   
monkey … gets…  excited .

They explode into laughter. Walsh is not amused.

WALSH  
Yes, yes, go ahead and laugh it up. It’s   
all well and good for you. I’ve already   
had to change my uniform once today.

He straightens his uniform top and primly goes over to a computer panel to check the readout. Gus and Thomas try not to laugh some more before the internal comms beep, gaining the attention of all three.

SNOW (V.O.)   
This is Officer Snow, broadcasting on   
all _ Aurora  _ channels.

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

Back on the bridge, everyone is paying rapt attention to Snow. The camera slowly pulls in close on her face as she speaks, a bright smile on her face:

SNOW   
We are about to enter the Alpha Quadrant.   
With Force Base at the center, we should   
be there by the end of the day if we push it.    
(pause)   
This is the last stretch. We’re almost home.

SMASH CUT TO:

Opening Credits

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

Stiltskin enters the bridge, eyes immediately on the view screen to see where they are.

LEYAH   
(noticing him)   
What’s up, doc?

STILTSKIN  
Still not funny, commander.  
(glances at Hook)  
As I currently have no patients to treat,   
I left my post for the best view of us   
entering the Alpha Quadrant.

LEYAH   
Patients or  _ patience? _

STILTSKIN   
(mock glare)   
Both.

HOOK   
I think that speaks for all of us.

He gestures toward the side chairs near Arendelle’s station.

HOOK (CONT)  
Stick around, doc. It’s a   
commemorative moment.

Stiltskin and Hook are still a little stiff toward one another, but Hook has made great strides since his initial racial prejudices against the Rumplurian. So he’s easier with Stiltskin now and the two of them are civil, if not completely friendly.

Tink finalizes something at her station and turns to Hook with a smile.

TINK  
I just sent our current co-ordinates and ETA   
to the Base. They know we’re coming.

HOOK  
Excellent. Officer Snow, you may get us   
back on our way. Warp 9.

SNOW   
Aye, Captain!

She turns to her station and attempts to follow the command. Her station gives the ‘red light’ noise instead and she furrows her brow.

SNOW (CONT)   
That’s… not supposed to happen.

She tries again. Red light. Leyah leans forward, suspecting something’s not right.

LEYAH   
Snow? What’s going on?

SNOW   
We’re… not moving.

HOOK   
We can see that. Why not?

Right in front of the viewing screen, a large and imposing Tau Battleship de-cloaks itself and shimmers into view. Music cue: Suspense.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE - DAY

A shot of both ships, with the  _ Aurora  _ caught in a wide beam of light from the Tau ship.

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

Everyone is looking at the newly revealed ship with trepidation. Arendelle has the specs pulled up on her screen.

ARENDELLE   
(fearful)   
We’re caught in a tractor beam!

HORDOR’S VOICE comes over the comms, startling everyone.

HORDOR (V.O.)  
Crew of the _Aurora Borealis_ , our weapons are   
locked onto your ship’s signature. You will   
stand down and prepare to be boarded.

Hook gets to his feet and taps his comm to parley.

HOOK  
This is Captain Charles Hook. We are not a   
fighter class ship and have no quarrel   
with you. We have very few resources to   
offer, but if we could just be reasonable--

HORDOR (V.O.)  
You will stand down, Captain, or our weapon   
system will blast you into the next life.   
The resource we’re after, you see, is your ship.  
(pause)  
Now, do we board, or do you all go   
down together?

The camera pans in for a tight closeup of Hook as he swallows hard. He doesn’t really have an option.

BLACKOUT.

END OF ACT ONE


	2. Act Two

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

Shot of Charming laying his side arm inside a storage container being held by a renegade. The box holds a pile of the others’ side arms and comms. The renegade closes it after receiving Charming’s weapon. With a dirty look, Charming moves back into line with the others. 

Hordor is the obvious leader of the renegades and he looks over his captives smugly. They are all dressed in shoddy-looking futuristic armor. Armor is typical of the combat-based Tau, but usually it is better quality. The men also don’t appear to have nearly as many tattoos as we’ve seen on other Tau aliens and none of the piercings that are common for them. This is not featured in the shots, but careful viewers may see this. The weaponry, on the other hand, looks very deadly and very up-to-date. Hordor handles his weapon a little carelessly, because every other renegade has their weapon trained on the crew members.

HORDOR   
There we are. Nice and orderly, like. Wouldn’t  
want to have to shoot anyone. Unless  
you get out of line.

KNIGHT   
Don’t want to waste ammo? Gonna push  
us out the airlock instead?

CHARMING   
Awfully cowardly for the Tau.

HORDOR   
No, no, no. Why would we get rid  
of you when you’ll make such  
useful bargaining chips?

HOOK   
Come again?

HORDOR   
Leverage, Captain. Can’t have too much  
of that. Which is why it would be a  
shame if we had to kill any of you.

He presses the nozzle of his weapon against Hook’s jaw, tilting his head upward, as he makes the threat clear. Hook doesn’t react, except to glare.

HORDOR (CONT)   
But don’t think we won’t.

LEYAH   
Why do you even  need our ship? It’s  
an explorer class. It’s smaller than  
anything the Tau has with only basic  
weaponry, it makes no sense.

HORDOR   
We need it because it’s a Force Base ship,  
with a federation signature. See, things  
aren’t quite so cozy back home, not since  
the alliance fell with the failure of  
the wormhole. No alien spacecraft in or out  
of Force Base ever since.   
(beat)   
But  this ship, this ship can sail right  
in. Letting us take over the base before  
anyone has a chance to rally a defence.

The crew is gobsmacked, the repercussions of this are staggering. 

Miss Greenie has a calculating look on her face. She’s been in tight situations before, possibly not as dire as this one, but she figures she can talk her way through it. She didn’t get where she is by throwing her lot in with a losing side. She surreptitiously pops the top button on her blouse before getting Hordor’s attention.

GREENIE   
(amicably)   
Taking over the base? Sounds  
complicated.

HORDOR   
Not really. Mostly involves shooting.  
Which, as I’m sure you’ve guessed,  
we’re rather good at.

Greenie begins sidling over, to the shock of the rest of the crew.

GREENIE   
Still. Seems like things would go a lot  
smoother if you didn’t have to work quite  
so hard. If you had someone on hand to,  
oh, I don’t know, pave the way for you.  
Someone with… diplomatic experience,  
maybe?

LEYAH   
What the hell?!

She makes a move to step towards Greenie and a renegade retrains his weapon on Leyah, making her freeze.

GOON 1   
Ah, ah, ah.

Leyah moves back into place, but glares at Greenie who is still trying to save herself. She sashays closer to Hordor as she speaks, playing up her sex appeal as much as possible.

GREENIE   
What do you think? I could be a lot of  
help to you. If not diplomatically, then…

She slides a hand across Hordor’s chest. He looks on enigmatically.

GREENIE (CONT)   
I’m sure there are  _ other  _ things I could do.

A tense moment as Hordor smiles at Greenie.

HORDOR   
What do I think?

He reaches up with one hand and cradles the side of her face, but it isn’t a tender gesture, it’s a domineering thing. Greenie still does her best to look enticing, though there is a flicker of fear in her eyes as this happens.

HORDER (CONT)   
I think… 

He makes a sudden gesture with his other hand, out of frame. Greenie’s eyes bulge and her mouth goes slack. She drops to the floor, a large red stain spreading rapidly on the front of her shirt. Hordor looks completely unaffected, sheathing the knife he’d taken out to gut Greenie with.

HORDOR (CONT)   
…That I don’t need help.

He looks around at the rest of the assembled crew, who are stunned by what they just watched happen. Greenie dies right in front of them on the floor. It’s a horrific thing to watch and Hordor just steps right over her. 

HORDOR (CONT)   
Anyone  _ else _ have something they’d  
like to add?   
(to Arendelle)   
Care to try out  _ your  _ seduction  
techniques, sweetheart? No?   
(to Stiltskin)   
How about you, Rumplurian? Ready to  
swear allegiance to the Tau?  
How about a little fealty? I might let  
you live if you kiss my boot.

Hordor’s men laugh at this. Stiltskin glares at the man, but isn’t foolish enough to say anything that might get them killed. (If looks could kill, though!) Hordor seems to be enjoying himself massively.

HORDOR (CONT)   
No? Pity.    
(to his men)   
Take them all to the brig and lock  
them up.

The crew is made to walk out in single file, flanked by the renegades. Hordor stops Tink before she can exit with the rest.

HORDOR (CONT)   
Hold up, not this one.

He eyes her officer stars and the headset she is still wearing.

HORDOR (CONT)   
We’ll need her to contact the base for  
landing protocol once we’re in position.   
(gives her a hard look)   
And you’ll be only too happy to  
co-operate, won’t you, my dear?

Tink says nothing, but looks terrified. Hordor pushes her toward another goon.

HORDOR (CONT)   
Keep her on hand. Lock her up in  
one of the quarters.

The goon grabs Tink and frog-marches her out.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

INT. BRIG CORRIDOR - DAY

The majority of the crew is escorted down a secure-looking hallway by three of the renegades. The crew is made to enter one large cell together, though it still makes for tight quarters. The two benches will only sit three at most on each bench, and that’s if they cuddle a little. Some people will definitely be sitting on the floor.

Leyah turns as the door closes behind her and she wraps her hands around the bars as the renegades walk back down the hall, leaving one to stand guard. She sighs and leans her head against the bars.

CUT TO:

INT. QUARTERS’ CORRIDOR - DAY

Likewise, a renegade marches Tink over to the nearest door and presses the computer panel to open it. He shoves Tink inside, closes the door, and presses the LOCK function, then stands guard.

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

The renegades all move to the various stations in order to get flight underway. Hordor flops onto the Captain’s chair with a sigh of satisfaction and taps a code into the panel on the arm of the chair. A moment later, a FEMALE VOICE is heard.

FEMALE VOICE   
What?

HORDOR   
It’s me. We’ve taken the  _ Aurora  _ as planned  
at the border to Federation space.

FEMALE VOICE   
Any complications?

HORDOR   
None. So far.

FEMALE VOICE   
Good. Alert the other ships. I want them  
enroute as soon as you take down the  
blockade. No detours, I want you arriving  
as close to _ Aurora _ ’s projected ETA as  
possible to avoid suspicion.

HORDOR   
Got it.

He presses a button to terminate the call.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. FORCE BASE CENTRAL ARCHIVES - DAY

Nova is sitting at the archive mainframe computer, typing frantically, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds. She shouldn’t be in here, and she dreads to think what will happen to her and Henry if they get caught. We hear light running footsteps and Henry races around the corner, his arms full of rolled up papers.

HENRY   
Got them!  _ Aurora _ ’s original blueprints.  
It was really easy to break the lock  
on the safe.

He hands Nova’s comm back to her. 

HENRY (CONT)   
You’d think that someone would have pointed  
out the design flaw in giving everyone a  
comm that has a universal override function.

Nova replaces her comm in her ear and gives a snort of nervous laughter. 

NOVA   
Well, government organisations have never been  
too forward-thinking when it comes to security.

HENRY   
I can tell.    
(gesturing to the screen)   
Speaking of security - are you in yet?

NOVA   
Almost.

She squints at the screen, which is showing reams and reams of green on black numbers. Finally ‘MANUAL OVERRIDE SUCCESSFUL’ appears on the screen and it becomes a normal desktop. Nova and Henry high-five. 

NOVA (CONT)   
Ok, we’re in. Lacey was right about the  
engineering archives using the same  
standard passwords as the medical  
centre records database.

HENRY   
We could probably get into the Force General’s  
computer with the same password at this rate.

NOVA   
I’m beginning to think that King’s  
password is “password.”

They exchange a cynical laugh and Nova begins typing again, bringing up command lines and databases. 

NOVA (CONT)   
_ Aurora Borealis _ service history,  
cross reference “surge protectors”...

They both scan the screen and Henry points. 

HENRY   
There!  _ Aurora _ ’s refit before going out to the  
wormhole. The plans definitely don’t  
match the blueprints.

They look between the image on the screen and the blue paper. 

NOVA   
So… who signed off on the new plans? Usually,  
all changes as drastic as this have to go  
through the Force General before going to  
the Master Engineer.

HENRY   
Would King approve of something  
like this?

Nova shakes her head. 

NOVA   
Never. He was in engineering himself before he was  
promoted to the higher ranks. He’d know how  
dangerous it would be to send out a  
ship without surge protectors.

They fall silent, continuing to click through the screens, looking for the information that they need. 

A noise at the other end of the archives startles them and they freeze, looking round to try and see if it’s something to worry about. 

Footsteps are coming closer, moving quickly.

Nova quickly takes her comm and plugs it into the mainframe, beginning to download the records onto it. Almost immediately, a red warning flashes up on the screen, something about ‘unauthorised peripheral detected’.

NOVA (CONT)   
Oh, fiddlesticks! 

She types again but nothing works. 

HENRY   
I’ll stall them!

He starts to run off but Nova grabs him. 

NOVA   
(hissing under her breath)   
No! You can get away with a lot  
but even you can’t be in here!

Her eyes dart around as the footsteps get closer, and she hits the key to put the mainframe to sleep mode, grabbing Henry’s arm and pulling him down under the desk, moving a filing cabinet to conceal them. 

The camera moves to their view as the footsteps get closer. We can hear someone talking on a smarter phone, but not what they’re saying. Nova puts a hand up to her ear and realizes that she’s left her comm on the desk.

NOVA   
Fudge! 

She peers out from behind the filing cabinet, looks left and right and pops out to grab her comm. The computer gives a loud beep as she unhooks it and Nova waves her hands at it, as if that will make it be quiet, then she dives under the desk again. 

The footsteps get closer and we can hear the voice. It’s HANS, the Star Force Master Engineer. 

HANS   
Yes, yes, don’t forget that my ass is on  
the line just as much as yours here.

There’s a pause while the other person speaks. We don’t hear what they’re saying but it seems to be a female voice. Any keen eared viewers might recognise it as the same one that was speaking to Hordor. Nova and Henry look at each other. Something’s fishy about this. 

Hans goes straight past the mainframe without noticing anything wrong, and from under the desk we see his feet moving down a line of archive files. 

HANS (CONT)   
Alright, calm down. Get your standard-issue  
panties out of that knot, jeez.

Nova raises an eyebrow. Hans stops and sticks the phone under his ear, rifling through the files. 

HANS (CONT)   
Yeah, it’s the Engineering Archive, no-one’s  
come down here since about 2245.   
(pause for response)   
Yes, I’ll check.    
(sarcastic)   
Not like I have anything else  
to do here.

He moves the phone away from his ear and gives a cursory look around the archive. 

HANS (CONT)   
(to himself)   
Honestly, paranoid much?   
(into the phone)   
There’s no-one here. 

Suddenly the mainframe catches his eye and he comes towards it.

HANS (CONT)   
Hold on.

Nova and Henry scooch in closer, trying to make themselves as small as possible. 

Hans comes over and grabs some unrelated papers off the desk, blowing dust off them. 

HANS (CONT)   
It’s all right, someone forgot to check  _ Polaris _ ’s  
service record back in. Now, if I could get  
back to the task at hand?

He moves back down the stacks and Nova and Henry breathe a sigh of relief. 

HANS (CONT)   
Of course no-one will question it. The team  
working on the _ Aurora  _ was hand-picked.    
(pause for response)   
Of course. 

He selects some paperwork from a file and begins to move away towards the archive exit.

HANS (CONT)   
Don’t worry, my engineers will be ready and  
waiting the moment she gets back, we’ll re-fit  
the surge protectors during the post-flight  
checks. No-one need ever know.    
(pause for response)   
Exactly. And what with all the commotion that  
will hopefully ensue, well, we’ll have some  
extra time. No-one will know whether they’re  
coming or going.   
(beat)   
What time are they due in?

By this time Hans is too far away for the two under the mainframe desk to hear what he’s saying, and a moment later the door slams shut.  

Henry and Nova scramble up from their hiding position and look at each other. 

NOVA   
Phew, that was too close! We were a  
gnat’s kneecap away from discovery.

She sits down at the mainframe again and logs back in. Henry perches on the desk beside her and begins to leaf through the  _ Aurora _ ’s paperwork, not paying any attention to Nova’s worries.

HENRY   
So Hans is behind the whole thing! That would  
make sense; no-one would question the master  
engineer if he did something dodgy to a ship.

NOVA   
Hans might be behind the lack of surge  
protectors but who’s behind Hans?

She clicks to print off reams of paper which Henry gathers up. 

NOVA (CONT)   
He’s taking orders from someone.  
Sounded like a female voice.

HENRY   
Someone on the base, do you think? 

NOVA   
I don’t know, but it looks likely, if whoever  
they are, they’re familiar with the archives  
and the _ Polaris _ . 

There’s a moment of silence as Henry continues to read and Nova logs out of the mainframe and makes it look like they were never there. 

NOVA (CONT)   
What I don’t understand is  _ why? _ Why would  
anyone want to sabotage one of our own ships  
in that way? What is there to gain from it?

Henry and Nova exchange a look. Nova’s comm beeps, signalling the start of her desk shift, and they rush out of the archives together. 

CUT TO:

INT. CHARMING’S QUARTERS - DAY

Tink is pacing up and down in Charming’s quarters where she’s been stashed by the renegades. Her headset has been taken away and she has no earpiece. She looks at the computer panel near the door and goes over, but hesitates before touching it.

TINK   
No… they took the comms.

She stomps her foot, pursing her lips in frustration.

TINK (CONT)   
I’ve GOT to find a way out of here… 

Time to inventory her assets. She reaches into her pockets, but comes up empty. She goes to Charming’s closet, but finds only clothing inside. She looks at Charming’s desk and goes over to search it, but only finds a tablet, some paper, and writing implements. 

She also finds what looks like a letter opener, but it is obviously decorative and won’t do much damage to anything unless the assailant is running full tilt at her and she’s also running right at him with the knife. She comes to the conclusion that Charming’s only weapon was likely on him when the renegades boarded, and thus completely inaccessible now.

TINK (CONT)   
Great. Me against a hoard of gun-toting maniacs  
and I’m armed with… the universe’s tiniest knife.  
Damn it, Charming, why couldn’t you be paranoid  
and keep some actual weapons in your room?

She kicks the leg of the desk, which knocks against the wall and jostles an air grate. Tink startles when the grate comes loose. She absentmindedly sticks the letter opener in her curly bun and bends down to get a closer look at the grate.

TINK (CONT)   
What the hell?

She picks up the grate cover and looks into the duct. It’s easily large enough for her to crawl through. She looks at the cover. It looks like it was just set in place, like it had been removed a long time ago.

Figuring this is her best chance, Tink backs into the duct and puts the cover back in place. Just let them try and figure out what happened if anyone came to look for her.

Tink crawls along through the duct, trying to remain as quiet as she can. She notices that the duct in this portion is rather clean and free of dust, which is unusual. She follows the clean trail and ends up at another grate cover, which she looks through, then sees that the screws here are also loose and the grate is just dummy-closed like Charming’s was.

Carefully, she grabs the grate so it doesn’t fall when she pushes through into the room. 

CUT TO:

INT. SNOW’S QUARTERS - DAY

Tink now finds herself in Snow’s quarters and she looks around, slightly surprised and mostly amused at the lengths these two go to in order to see each other.

TINK   
(amused)   
Charming, you sly bastard.

Tink goes right to Snow’s closet and pushes all of the clothing aside. Toward the back, she finds what she’s looking for - Snow’s weapon holster that she only wears on away missions. Tink grins.

TINK (CONT)   
Now that’s what I’m talking about.  
Lock. And. Load!

She straps the holster on around her waist and checks the charge on the blaster. It’s only at about half, Snow hasn’t charged it in a while.

TINK (CONT)   
Hmm. It’ll have to do. We’ll just  
make every shot count.

She grabs Snow’s smart-camo jacket and activates it to stealth, making her clothes all black, she also tugs on a set of gloves that are sticking out of a pocket. Then she goes to the computer panel.

TINK (CONT)   
Computer please display the  _ Aurora _ ’s air duct  
system and highlight the quickest route from  
here to the brig.

The computer brings up what she asked for, showing a path that leads from Snow’s air duct down to the brig, which is near Engineering. Tink looks it over, committing the route to memory, then heads back to the duct.

FADE TO:

INT. BRIG - DAY

Everyone minus Tink is sitting or leaning against a wall or standing in the cell. It is uncomfortably close and it is clear that Hook would be pacing if that were possible in the current tight quarters. He makes up for it by rhythmically jouncing his leg up and down. The bench squeaks with every bounce.

Leyah is sitting next to him, clearly annoyed. She suddenly reaches out, lightning fast, and places a hand on Hook’s knee.

LEYAH   
PLEASE.   
(beat, normal tone)   
Stop.

Hook seems to just realize what he was doing and slowly lowers his leg so his foot is flat on the floor.

HOOK   
Oh. Sorry.

In one of the corners is Walsh and Thomas, the former is mostly facing the wall and quietly weeping while the latter is trying to console him.

THOMAS   
There, there, Oz.

WALSH   
Seriously? “There, there”? What the hell, Thomas? I am  
seriously distraught here and the best you can  
come up with is “there, there”?

THOMAS   
(wince)   
You’re right. I’m sorry.

STILTSKIN   
(gruffly)   
If it makes you feel any better, she appeared  
to die… reasonably quickly.

He held no love for Greenie, far from it, but he knows what he’d be going through if it were Lacey, so Stiltskin feels for Walsh, having lost someone he cared for. The sentiment, however, only makes Walsh bring his knees up to his chest and wrap his arms around them, leaning his head down to cry more.

Hunter is at the cell door, trying combo after combo of computer passwords to open the door. The computer keeps spitting the annoying ‘red light’ noise at him.

LEYAH   
Hunter, you might as well stop. They’ve  
obviously changed the commands.

HUNTER   
I gotta keep trying. We’ve got to  
get out of here.

HOOK   
Even if you do get it open, what then?  
Even with all of us taking on the single armed  
guard, someone is bound to get hurt,  
if not, killed.

Hunter turns around to face Hook.

HUNTER   
So, what? We give up? We let them just sail the  
_ Aurora  _ right into the base and take over  
while we sit back and cool our heels?

Hook stands up. He is frustrated because he’s a man of action too, but he can’t risk the lives of his crew.

HOOK   
Look, I want to get out of here just as much  
as you do, but I’m not willing to weigh that over  
the cost of someone’s life!

Leyah looks proud of him. Old-Hook, as she’s come to think of Hook’s early behavior on board, would have thought it an acceptable risk. Now, he thinks of the crew as a family, he thinks of  her as family. And when she sees this side of him, occurring more and more often now, she falls in love with him just a bit more.

Stiltskin looks impressed for similar reasons. Hook’s treatment of the resident alien doctor has improved significantly over the last year or so, so Stiltskin notices these little moments that Hook has. He’s finally thinking like a Captain.

Hunter deflates a little.

HUNTER   
You’re right.   
(sigh)   
I’m not thinking clearly. I just don’t--

He is cut off as someone sneezes. Hunter furrows his brow at Hook. It was much too cute of a sneeze to be Hook, but… 

HUNTER (CONT)   
Was that you?

HOOK   
(don’t be daft)   
No.

Tink’s voice comes from the vent just outside the cell on the facing wall.

TINK   
(hushed whisper)   
It’s me!

Everyone rushes the bars. Of course, there is nothing to see, but not everyone can see that. (Irony!) They keep their voices low so they don’t alert the guard.

SNOW   
Tink?

TINK   
Yeah. Is there a guard?

CHARMING   
Just the one.

TINK   
Okay. Then I won’t shoot the grate off the wall  
and get his attention. I’ve got a blaster,  
but the charge is low. Can you make a  
diversion and get him over here? I don’t  
want to miss.

The crew looks at each other, unsure and needing a plan. Almost wearily, Stiltskin sighs, rolls his eyes, and drops to the floor, twitching and making weird gargly noises with his mouth. As (pretty much) the only non-human, he can easily pretend to have an ailment that the guard wouldn’t immediately recognize as fake. [Rum HATED these takes. I imagine a “CLASSICALLY TRAINED ACTOR” comment was muttered in between frothing at the mouth.]

Charming grins, immediately cottoning on to the plan, and adopts a nervous, panicked tone.

CHARMING   
GUARD! GUARD! We need help!  
Something’s wrong!

From down the hall, the guard looks in their direction.

GUARD 1   
Hey, pipe down in there!

CHARMING   
Something’s wrong with our doctor!  
Please, he needs help!

Snow kneels next to Stiltskin and takes his hand in hers, adding her voice to Charming’s, loud enough for the guard to hear.

SNOW   
Stiltskin! Can you hear me? Say  
something!

Stiltskin briefly opens one eye to glare at her as if to say ‘no need to be quite so melodramatic.’

But it seems to work. VERY begrudgingly, the guard gets up and ambles toward the cell, handling his side arm lazily because the crew is locked up.

CUT TO:

INT. DUCTS - DAY

Shot of Tink inside the duct. With a look on her face that says ‘I hope this works,’ she aims the blaster at the grating.

CUT TO:

INT. BRIG - DAY

The guard is finishing his amble to the cell.

GUARD 1   
Alright, just what is the damn  
emergency--

As soon as he’s near, Tink shoots through the grating, blasting the metal cover off the duct opening and hitting the guard square in the back with both the blaster fire and the cover.

Tink emerges from the duct to the enthusiastic acknowledgment of the rest of the crew. She is considerably dustier from moving through the lesser used portions of the ducts, hence the sneezing earlier.

Snow keeps hold of Stiltskin’s hand to help him get to his feet. He wipes the drool from his chin with distaste.

STILTSKIN   
We will  never speak of this.

SNOW   
(smiling)   
What? About how you helped save our hides?

Stiltskin doesn’t say anything, but a little smile quirks the side of his mouth. Of course Snow would see it like that.

STILTSKIN   
We’re not saved yet.

TINK   
Stand back.

Everyone stands as far back as they can while Tink shoots the computer panel locking the cell door. A brief flash-bang and Hunter pushes the door open. Everyone begins pouring into the hallway. 

Hook immediately relieves the guard of his weapon. Gus and Knight grab the unconscious guard and shove him into the next cell over, locking him in.

CHARMING   
(to Hook)   
What’s the plan, Captain?

Everyone looks to Hook. He has a brief moment of ‘shit, I need a plan’ but a second later, he is all business. He can do this. He just has to trust himself and his crew.

HOOK   
Charming and I will play decoy. 

He holds out his hand for the blaster Tink has and she hands it over. He gives her a nod, a brief acknowledgment of her heroics to get them out. He gives the blaster to Charming, who checks the charge. It's gone down a bar, but still useable.

HOOK (CONT)   
Go up as many levels as possible, taking  
out as many of their men as we can.

LEYAH   
That’s suicide!

Snow looks to Charming and takes his hand. From the look on her face, she’s thinking the same thing as Leyah. James squeezes her hand and pulls her closer, wrapping an arm around her. Their communication is silent as Hook gives Leyah a cocky grin, lifting an eyebrow.

HOOK   
So little faith in me, luv?

She gives him an exasperated look. They obviously can’t have this conversation now, they have to act and there are a ton of people standing around watching what’s happening. It’s not the time for a heartfelt speech about how much he’s come to mean to her and, somehow, Hook understands that.

He comes over to Leyah, touching the back of her head and running his fingers down through her hair to the nape of her neck, leaning in to touch his forehead to hers. He doesn’t need her to say anything. He knows. 

HOOK (CONT)   
(quietly, just to Leyah)   
Trust me.

Charming looks down at Snow and nods, silently asking her the same thing. Snow’s and Leyah’s facial expressions are saying ‘no, don’t do this’ but reluctantly, they each give their men a tight nod. Snow will trust James to be careful and Leyah will follow her captain.

The others tactfully behave as if they didn’t just witness a private moment as Hook gets back down to business.

HOOK (CONT)   
(to everyone)   
The renegades want to reach the base, which  
means we have to stop them by any means.   
(he looks to the Engineering crew)   
That’s where you lot come in.

Gus, Walsh (who is wiping his face and getting his head in the game), and Thomas look at each other, not sure where he’s going with this.

HOOK (CONT)   
While Charming and I draw the attention of  
everyone we can, you three make your way  
down to Engineering and…   
(heavily, he knows this will be  
difficult for them)   
…do what needs to be done.

It dawns on Gus first.

GUS   
Oh. Oh no. Oh, Captain, please, isn’t  
there another way?

HOOK   
Maybe, but we don’t have time for  
brainstorming. Unless you’ve thought of a  
better, faster way of stopping them from  
reaching the base.

THOMAS   
What are you--

The penny drops for Thomas. He claps a hand over his mouth, probably to stop himself from blurting out an expletive to the captain. Walsh looks at the two of them.

WALSH   
What?... What?

BLACKOUT.

END OF ACT TWO


	3. Act Three

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

Hook and Charming stay close to the walls, checking around corners before making their moves. They spot two renegades at the end of the next hall. Hook does a drop and roll across the corridor, then stands and looks to Charming.

Taking aim, they mouth ‘one, two, three’ then fire at each renegade, taking them down at the same time. They hurry down the hall and grab them, dragging them over to the side where they won’t be readily noticeable if anyone happens by. They also take each renegade’s weapon, giving Hook two renegade weapons and Charming one renegade weapon and the half-charged blaster from Tink.

They move on, going up another level, finding renegades and pulling focus. When they reach the mess hall, they look through the small windows in the doors, finding a group of renegades eating and talking boisterously. Hook and Charming look at each other.

CHARMING   
(quietly)   
Cover me.

Hook nods, then they both disappear from the windows. 

A moment later, Charming is diving sideways through the door in slow motion, firing both blasters at once with a mighty battle cry. The renegades are taken by complete surprise and are disoriented enough to give Charming a few crucial seconds to get the upper hand. The blaster fire does air displacement through the slow motion effect, like the bullets in The Matrix.

Charming rolls behind a table, knocking it on its side to provide cover, and pops up behind it, firing his blasters for all he’s worth and laughing like Scarface. 

Hook comes through the doors once all is quiet and observes all the renegades on the floor.

HOOK   
Was all that necessary?

CHARMING   
(shrugs)   
You said play decoy. I’m pulling   
all focus I can.

Hook accepts this with a nod. It might be overly-dramatic, but he can’t argue with the results.

A tiny buzzing sound catches Hook’s attention and he follows the noise to one of the fallen renegades. He picks up a small comm device. The word ‘ALERT’ is flashing in time to the buzzing.

HOOK   
Well, it worked. We’re about to have   
company.

CHARMING   
Good place to make a stand, only one   
entrance.

HOOK   
Indeed.

Their attitude is grim as Hook tosses the comm aside. They know that this is one of the stupidest things they’ve done on this mission, but they’re ready to own it. Quickly, they toss chairs in front of the doors and knock tables on their sides to create cover for them and hindrances to the incoming renegades.

CUT TO:

INT. QUARTERS’ CORRIDOR - DAY

Snow, Tink, Leyah, and Arendelle hurry down to the crew quarters and stop short when they see that the guard in front of Charming’s room is still there. He didn’t see them, however, they are concealed around the corner.

ARENDELLE   
Damn. What now?

They are unarmed. Except for… Tink remembers the knife in her bun and removes it.

TINK   
I’ve got this…? 

She doesn’t sound very enthusiastic about the success rate of the knife versus a blaster. But Snow takes the knife from her, excitedly.

SNOW   
Yes!

The other three dart out of the way as Snow gets stabby with the wall. The letter opener is decent at tearing a gaping hole in the fabric covering the upper part of the wall, revealing the computer-like innards.

After making the hole sufficiently big enough, Snow hands the knife back to Tink, then yanks a large piece of machinery from its hookups. With a big grin, she tilts her chin in the direction of the corridor where the guard is.

SNOW (CONT)   
(to Arendelle)   
Get his attention then get   
behind me.

Arendelle peeks around the corner at the guard, then steps halfway into the hallway, revealing herself. She whistles and the guard’s attention goes to her.

GUARD 2   
Hey!

She ducks back and gets behind Snow as Snow raises her makeshift weapon. As the guard comes around the corner, Snow bashes him right in the face with the heavy piece of machinery. He goes down like a sack of potatoes.

LEYAH   
Yes! Great job, Snow!

Snow picks up his weapon and helps the others to grab him and stash him in the nearest quarters. Tink presses the ‘LOCK’ function with particular relish.

Then the four of them hurry down the hall and through the doors of Hook’s captain’s quarters.

CUT TO:

INT. HOOK’S QUARTERS - DAY

Leyah and Tink go to Hook’s closet and begin searching through it. Arendelle goes immediately to Hook’s desk. Since he’s the captain, he gets the full computer-holo station in his quarters rather than just the standard panel the other rooms have, and it’s the only bypass that doesn’t require being on the bridge to access the ship’s full functions. The computer comes out of ‘sleep’ mode at once and prompts for a password.

ARENDELLE   
Okay. Password.   
(can’t help but grin)   
(talking as she types:)   
CommanderCutiepie.

The computer accepts the password and Arendelle starts typing at lightning speed. Leyah gives them a Look as Tink and Snow stifle giggles.

TINK   
What? That blush when he admitted   
it… That was priceless.

ARENDELLE   
(from the desk)   
Almost worth getting hijacked.

They look at her.

ARENDELLE (CONT)   
I said almost!

She continues to work. Leyah finds a small cabinet at the back of Hook’s closet and pulls open the top drawer. It is full of various weaponry, fully charged. She grins.

LEYAH   
Game changer.

She passes a couple of weapons to Tink who holsters them.

TINK   
(pleased)   
Thank you, captain, for being a   
paranoid little bugger.

Arendelle pushes back from the desk and stands up.

ARENDELLE    
Okay, Tink, I’ve got the secure comm   
line set up. Go!

Tink hurries over to the desk and sits down, pressing ‘transmit’ on the computer screen.

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE INTERSTELLAR OPERATIONS HUB - DAY

A random comms officer is sitting in front of a screen with his feet up on the desk, eating a banana. Nova is sitting at the desk beside him, shaking her head in despair. 

NOVA   
You know that King will court martial you on   
the spot if he sees you eating bananas   
at your desk. No food in the Hub.

OFFICER   
It’s fine, he’s squirrelled away in his office   
writing a big speech for the _ Aurora _ ’s return. 

There’s a pause as he tosses the banana skin towards the waste paper bin. 

OFFICER (CONT)   
When are they due in, anyway? 

Nova looks at her watch. 

NOVA   
According to the message they sent ahead,   
they should be here by the end of the day.   
Not long now.

She exchanges an excited look with Henry, who is sitting on her desk looking at all the plans they pulled from the archives. 

HENRY   
And we’ve got to prove what really   
happened before then.

NOVA   
(nods)   
Or else they’ll want to pin the whole   
wormhole disaster on _ Aurora _ ’s crew.

OFFICER   
Thought no one knew how that happened?

HENRY   
They don’t, but that doesn’t stop people   
from looking for someone to blame.   
(indicates the plans he’s holding)   
They just aren’t looking in the right places.

Something on Nova’s screen beeps and she looks at it, head tilted to one side. 

NOVA   
That’s… odd. 

OFFICER   
(leaning over to see her screen)   
What is it?

NOVA    
Secure broadcast coming through. 

She puts her headset on and clicks to accept the secure line and receive the message.

TINK (V.O.)   
Come in Force Base, this is the  _ Aurora Borealis _   
broadcasting on a secure line. This is an   
emergency, code red for all Force Base civilians   
and personnel. You are all in danger. Do you read?

NOVA   
Tink!

She scrambles to transmit back. 

NOVA (CONT)   
_ Aurora Borealis _ , this is Force Base,   
we read you. What is the emergency?

CUT TO:

INT. HOOK’S QUARTERS - as before

The scene switches back and forth between  _ Aurora  _ and Force Base throughout. 

TINK   
Nova! We’ve been boarded by a group of   
Tau renegades, led by a soldier named Hordor.

Nova’s eyes widen. Other officers are crowding around her station, trying to work out what’s happening. There’s indistinct gossip in the background. Henry is leaning in, looking at the screen and trying to hear the conversation through Nova’s headset.

HENRY   
(whisper)   
What’s happening?

TINK   
They’re intending to use the  _ Aurora  _ as cover   
to get into the base and take over!   
We need back-up, stat!

NOVA   
Roger that. 

She begins to type quickly.

NOVA (CONT)   
Crew status? Is everyone alright? 

TINK   
One casualty. They killed Miss Greenie. Most   
of the crew were locked in the brig but   
we escaped and we’re trying to take back   
control, but we need help!

NOVA   
Scrambling fighters now. Are you still on   
your current course?

Whilst this is going on, the crowd around Nova’s desk is getting bigger and bigger. They can see from her screen that something serious is going down. Nova sweeps some of the papers to one side and something catches Henry’s eye. It’s a eureka moment; he’s solved it, but Nova’s a bit pre-occupied.

TINK   
Yes, but we’re not in warp and we’re planning   
to shut down the core. We’ll be drifting.

She switches to an alternate screen and pulls up a list of ‘recent outgoing messages.’

TINK (CONT)   
I’m sending you a copy of the co-ordinates that   
were sent out from the bridge. These are all   
the ships set to rendezvous at the Base   
once they’d gotten through.

Arendelle leans over and squints at the list curiously.

NOVA   
Copy. I’ll give the ship signatures to the fighter   
pilots, they’ll be able to find the renegade   
ships faster. Help is on the way.   
(beat)   
Just keep yourselves safe, okay?

TINK   
We will.  _ Aurora Borealis _ out.

Nova shuts down comms with the  _ Aurora  _ and immediately opens up a new channel. 

NOVA   
Force Base IOH to Hangar Four, scramble all C-Class   
fighters to Alpha Quadrant sector H-56, further   
instructions to follow, this is not a drill,   
repeat, this is not a drill.

She shuts down the comms line and takes off her headset, shoving her chair back from her desk (and running over some unfortunate nosy person’s foot). Everyone begins speaking at once, asking what the hell’s going on. 

NOVA   
Sorry, can’t stop, I need to see   
the general!

She elbows her way through the crowd around her desk; Henry follows in her wake with the all-important piece of paper. As she runs, in the background through the windows and on the viewing screens we can see a multitude of small, single-pilot fighter crafts taking off from the hangar below. Nova runs people down and gets tripped up in her frantic run through the base, but she and Henry don’t stop.

NOVA (CONT)   
Sorry! Sorry! Excuse me, so sorry,   
matter of trans-galactic security, so sorry…

HENRY   
Nova! What’s happening? Are they okay?

NOVA   
I don’t know!

HENRY   
I’ve worked out who’s behind it all!

NOVA   
That’s great, Henry, but we’ve got   
bigger fish to fry right now!

She bumps into someone and sends their coffee flying.

NOVA (CONT)   
(over her shoulder to them)   
Sorry, I’ll get you a new one if the   
world doesn’t end!

They arrive at the door to the special operations control room. Inside the other staff are oblivious to the pandemonium going on below them. 

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE SPECIAL OPERATIONS CENTRE - immediately following

The door bursts open to reveal Nova and Henry in the doorway. FORCE GENERAL KING and the other staff of about five or so officers all turn to look at them. 

NOVA   
_ Aurora Borealis _ has been hijacked by   
Tau renegades. Force Base is in danger.

CUT TO:

INT. HOOK’S QUARTERS - DAY

Leyah is in the background, laying Hook’s spare arsenal on the bed and choosing the best tools for everyone to borrow.

TINK   
Nova’s sending fighters our way. They’ll   
locate the Tau ships en route and   
take them out.

Tink high fives Snow. Arendelle squints at the list.

ARENDELLE   
That’s… strange.

That gets Leyah’s attention and she pauses what she’s doing.

LEYAH   
What?

ARENDELLE   
Well, they  said they’re working for   
the Tau, but…

She gestures at the names of ships in the list.

ARENDELLE (CONT)   
Those aren’t the names of any Tau ships I   
recognize. Look at this data signature. That’s   
from an HW-Waterfall class. Those haven’t been   
made in ages, and were only built in the   
Delta quadrant.

SNOW   
That’s… completely on the other side   
of the galaxy from the Tau High Command.

ARENDELLE   
Exactly. And even if they went out of their   
way to acquire it, you can only get them   
on the black market now, and the Tau’s Warrior   
Code of Honor prevents them from doing   
things like that.

TINK   
Well, they  are renegades, you think they   
still uphold things like a code of honor?

ARENDELLE   
You have a point, but combined with the   
distance necessary to acquire the ship,   
I find it unlikely that these guys are Tau at all.

LEYAH   
(nodding)   
Something smells.

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE SOC - DAY

All of the crew in the SOC are staring at Henry and Nova, General King has shot to his feet and come over to them.

KING   
What did you say, Officer?

NOVA   
We’ve had a message from  _ Aurora Borealis _ .   
She’s been boarded by Tau renegades.   
They’re intending to use Aurora as cover to   
infiltrate the base and stage a hostile   
takeover.

King nods, processing the information. The other officers in the SOC look worried, and start muttering amongst themselves. 

KING   
(to one of the officers)   
Perkins! Get the Tau High   
Commander on comms!

PERKINS (incidentally the same comms officer from the pilot) nods and rushes back to his station. King returns his attention to Nova and Henry. 

KING (CONT)   
Tell me everything. 

NOVA   
Tink opened a secure channel to warn us about   
the attack. They were overpowered and brigged,   
one casualty, but they escaped and they’re   
attempting to take back the ship.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

A number of renegades run past a dark alcove, headed for the mess hall. Knight, Stiltskin, and Hunter all emerge from the alcove once the renegades are gone and hurry in the opposite direction. They are all still unarmed and so they are all nervous about being caught.

KNIGHT   
I hope Charming and the captain pull off one   
hell of a diversion. We’re sitting ducks if we’re caught.

HUNTER   
Only too aware of that, lieutenant.

They come to the security room door and Hunter keys in his code, but he gets the red light noise.

HUNTER (CONT)   
Damn. I guess I should have expected that.

STILTSKIN   
(glancing up and down the corridor)   
What now?

HUNTER   
I’ll have to try and reset the panel.

He goes to do just that, but their attention is pulled as someone shouts at the end of the hall.

GOON 2   
(pointing at them)   
Hey!

Knight, Stiltskin, and Hunter all squeeze themselves into the doorframe, which provides very little cover as the renegade shoots at them. Hunter tries to reach the panel, but quickly snaps his hand back as blaster fire nearly takes off his fingers.

The renegade stops firing, but keeps his weapon trained on them.

GOON 2 (CONT)   
Don’t move, or I’ll shoot!   
(retrieves his comm)   
Hordor, I’ve got a number of   
escaped--

BAM! He is hit from behind with blaster fire and goes down. Knight, Stiltskin, and Hunter peek out to see Snow, Leyah, Arendelle, and Tink fully decked out in Hook’s spare arsenal, standing over the fallen renegade triumphantly. A bad-ass bitches hero shot.

HUNTER   
(grinning)   
The cavalry.

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE - AS BEFORE

PERKINS   
Tau High Commander online, sir!

The face of the Tau High Commander appears on the big screen in the SOC. This guy is definitely the real deal, way more detailed tattoos and ceremonial piercings than the hostiles on Aurora, who are now even more obviously fake Tau. 

TAU HIGH COMMANDER   
Force General, what is the meaning   
of this?

KING   
High Commander, we’ve received intelligence   
that our returning explorer ship _ Aurora Borealis _   
has been boarded by renegade Tau hostiles   
at the entrance to Alpha Quadrant.

TAU HIGH COMMANDER   
That’s absurd!

KING   
Considering Star Force’s tentative relationship   
with your own force, we thought so too, Commander.   
(beat)   
_ Aurora _ ’s crew has full authority to retake   
their ship and we have scrambled fighters to   
take out any hostile craft approaching Force Base.

TAU HIGH COMMANDER   
General, I can assure you that these pirates   
are not acting upon Tau orders.

Nova, who has been looking at her commpad, rushes forward and interrupts. 

NOVA   
Excuse me, General.    
(She gives a little curtsey to the Tau High Commander)   
Your most excellent excellency. Officer Tink sent   
signatures of the ships meaning to congregate   
after the takeover - none of them are current   
Tau class ships, including the ship that the   
hostiles boarded from.

TAU HIGH COMMANDER   
Someone’s trying to start a war…

KING   
I agree.

Of all the races involved in the wormhole project, Force Base and Tau have had the most antagonistic relationship. No-one would suspect anything if relations were to break down between them.

NOVA   
The hostiles’ leader is named Hordor. 

The Tau High Commander nods to an officer off-screen. King addresses him. 

KING   
Given this new intelligence, are you   
prepared to support a strike?

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

Hordor slams his comm down on the arm of the captain’s chair.

HORDOR   
What the HELL is going on here? First the mess   
hall, now the security bay? They were supposed   
to be locked up, not crawling all over the ship!

He speaks into his comm in agitation.

HORDOR (CONT)   
Someone get a team down to security!

GOON 3 (V.O.)   
We’re all outside the mess hall, sir, two of   
them are inside, picking off whoever   
steps through the doors!

HORDOR   
We’re not gonna have enough men to take down   
the base if this keeps up! Half of you keep   
the two in the mess busy, the other half get   
down to security and stop them, now!

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE - AS BEFORE

On the screen, the Tau High Commander takes a paper from the off-screen officer and scans it.

TAU HIGH COMMANDER   
We have no record of a Hordor ever being   
associated to Tau military.   
(beat)   
Force Base has our full support in this matter,   
General. Proceed as you see fit. Our Castellan   
fighters are on standby should you need assistance.

KING   
Thank you, High Commander. 

Perkins cuts the comms just as RHEULGORM enters the room unseen by the others. King turns to Nova.

KING   
Thank you, Officer Nova. You may return to   
your post. Monitor the channels for any   
communication from  _ Aurora _ .

Henry steps forward. He’s still clutching the plans, itching to tell someone about his discovery. 

HENRY   
General, we’ve discovered the reason for the   
wormhole incident and I think it might be   
connected to the attack on the _ Aurora _ . 

King turns to Henry. He looks like he’s going to dismiss him out of hand, as Nova said, they’ve got bigger fish to fry. Henry steels himself and speaks quickly.

HENRY (CONT)   
There’s a traitor in Force Base, General. 

THAT gets everyone’s attention.

SMASH CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

Leyah shoots the panel Hunter was working at and Knight is able to shoulder the door open. The group pours inside the security room, with Leyah and Arendelle keeping watch at the partially closed door.

HUNTER   
(to the women)   
Good thing you were there to   
save our asses.

STILTSKIN   
Well, they’ve had a lot of practice.

KNIGHT   
How long will this take?

HUNTER   
Not long.

Hunter goes to a metal panel at the back of the room and removes it, revealing a switch and light computer grid. 

CUT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY

The renegades are assembled outside the mess hall.

GOON 3   
You six head down to security, we’ve   
got more escaped prisoners.

CUT TO:

INT. MESS HALL - DAY

Hook and Charming emerge from cover. There are renegade bodies all around them. They can sort of see what’s going on in the observation deck through the small windows in the mess hall doors.

HOOK   
They’re going after the others.

CHARMING   
Alright, so we charge them.

HOOK   
The bottleneck works both ways, James. We step   
through those doors, they’ll pick us off as   
easily as we’ve been doing.

Charming thinks for a hot second.

CUT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY

The remaining renegades are considering how to continue the mess hall stand off. Suddenly, something small and heavy crashes through the mess hall doors, flying right at them. The renegades fire on it automatically and the thing explodes in a giant white cloud, obscuring vision.

When the smoke begins to clear a little, the renegades can see that it was a sack of flour they shot at.

While they are distracted and not able to see quite clearly, Charming barrels through the doors firing both blasters. (Hey, it worked before.) Hook follows him, providing additional fire power.

Except this time the renegades were ready to return fire, obscured vision or not. A firefight ensues.

MATCH SHOT TO:

INT. SECURITY - DAY

Knight and the ladies are holding their own against the renegade team sent to the security bay. Hunter is working the computer grid, Stiltskin is watching the bank of video monitors. The shot changes to over his shoulder and we see he is watching what is happening on the Observation Deck.

Camera pulls into the video feed and we:

MATCH SHOT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY

Firefight. One blast catches the Tau weapon Charming was carrying and it stops working. He drops it and aims his other blaster, pulls the trigger. Time SLOWS, the sounds of the firefight become tinny and hollow, as if heard through a tunnel.

CLICK. Nothing happens. Charming looks at the charge. Empty. He’d forgotten the blaster had only been half-charged to begin with. He looks up, meets the eyes of a renegade who darkly smiles at him right before pulling the trigger on his own weapon.

Hook looks to Charming as he falls, stricken.

HOOK   
(voice distorted by slo-mo)   
Noooooo!

He rushes to his fallen friend’s side, shooting the remaining renegades as he does so, his face intense, tight with anger, adrenaline fueling him. Time resumes normally as Hook falls to his knees beside Charming, who is not dead, but is clutching his bleeding abdomen and looks to be in a SHIT TON of pain.

CHARMING   
Guess I should have known… it wouldn’t   
have worked a second time…

HOOK   
No talking, that’s an order. Now,   
come on.

He pulls Charming’s arm around his shoulders in order to help him to his feet, but Charming resists.

CHARMING   
Hook, go on… go on without me…   
the others need you.

HOOK   
I said no talking, especially not rubbish   
like that, now shift , lieutenant!

Charming goes along with Hook this time as he heaves him to his feet. This is very painful for Charming, but he tries to bear it.

HOOK (CONT)   
Alright. Come on. Med bay’ll patch   
you right up.

They leave the deck as quickly as they can.

CUT TO:

INT. SECURITY - DAY

Stiltskin urgently turns from the bank of monitors and looks to Leyah.

STILTSKIN   
I have to get to the med bay!   
Charming’s been shot!

That gets Snow’s attention, she looks to Stiltskin in panic.

SNOW   
James!

Leyah takes out the final member of the renegade team and turns to the others. 

LEYAH   
Knight.

She tilts her head at Stiltskin. Knight understands what she wants and he tosses his appropriated Tau weapon to Stiltskin, who catches it.

LEYAH (CONT)   
Snow, go with the doc.

Of course Leyah knows there’s no way Snow would stick around while knowing Charming’s been shot. Snow nods and she and Stiltskin run out of the security bay.

LEYAH (CONT)   
The rest of you, stay sharp. We might have   
stopped  _ this _ group, but there’s probably   
gonna be more on the way. Hunter?   
How much longer?

The panel Hunter was working on turns green and he twists the dial next to the light grid marked ‘Engineering.’ One by one the line of lights go from green to red.

HUNTER    
Got it. It’s up to Engineering now.

LEYAH   
And it’s up to  us to make sure they   
aren’t noticed.

CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - DAY

Walsh is covering his face with a hand. His earlier distress over Greenie has now been eclipsed by the mission.

WALSH   
I cannot believe you two.

The camera pulls back to reveal Thomas and Gus tearfully tearing out an essential piece of the warp core with gloves and tongs and a crowbar.

THOMAS   
We’re sorry about this, girl, don’t   
take it personally.

They give another heave and the warp core flickers, giving a haunting groan.

GUS   
It pains me to hurt her like this.

WALSH   
Oh, for the love of--

GUS   
(shouting over)   
Oi! Less yap flapping and more   
watching our backs!

Walsh has never understood the relationship between Gus and Thomas and the ship and he probably never will. He lifts his hands, as he so often does around them, and goes back to looking out of the doorway, keeping an eye out for anyone who isn’t being distracted by Hook and Charming.

With one last mighty heave, the large part comes loose and Gus and Thomas fall backward onto the grating. The whole warp core powers down and goes dark. The lights in Engineering turn red, but no klaxons start wailing as they’ve disconnected the audible alert system through the security override.

Thomas kneels next to the part and cradles it in his arms. Gus pats his shoulder.

GUS (CONT)   
We’ll take good care of it.

Thomas nods, being brave for the sake of the mission. The two men pick up the part between them and begin heading out. Walsh picks up the rear.

GUS (CONT)   
You rendezvous with the others, Walsh, tell them   
we made it out with the part. Thomas and   
I will hide with it in storage til the time is right.

WALSH   
I just hope we don’t run into anymore trouble.

THOMAS   
You  _ had  _ to say it… 

CUT TO BLACK.

END OF ACT THREE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10 Points to you if you spotted the subtle Firefly reference. :P


	4. Act Four

ACT FOUR

(It’s a massive two hour episode, because it’s the finale!)

FADE IN:

INT. FORCE BASE - AS BEFORE

KING   
(wary of believing a child,   
speaks gravely)    
Henry… You can’t just—

HENRY  
It’s no joke, General. They oversaw _Aurora_ ’s   
refit and ordered her to be sent out   
without surge protectors on the warp core.   
That was what caused the wormhole explosion.

NOVA  
And led to our current sticky   
political situation with the Tau.

King is still a little disbelieving as he takes the blueprints from Henry.

KING   
Master Engineer Hans… 

HENRY  
…Is in on the whole thing, but he   
didn’t work alone.

NOVA   
So who…

King is looking at the papers and sees the same thing that Henry saw earlier, startling him. He looks up, towards…

HENRY   
Her .

CUT TO:

INT. MED BAY - DAY

Stiltskin and Hook are carrying a nearly unconscious Charming between them as they hurry into the med bay. Snow brings up the rear, covering their backs with her weapons, but her focus is clearly split. While Hook and Stiltskin get Charming onto an exam table, Snow shuts the med bay door and presses the lock function on the panel.

She rejoins them as Stiltskin is fitting a breathing apparatus over Charming’s face. It doesn’t look good.

HOOK   
I’ve got to help the others.

SNOW   
(nods)   
Be careful.

He goes to the doors, presses the button, and they open for him. When they close after him, the light on the panel goes on again, indicating the lock is still functioning.

Stiltskin turns to the wash station and scrubs in. All his focus is on his patient, but he can talk and operate at the same time.

STILTSKIN   
(to Snow)   
You should have gone with him.

But there is no bite in his words. He doesn’t expect Snow to leave. He begins cutting away the ruined portion of Charming’s uniform.

SNOW  
They don’t need me until we can retake   
the bridge. So tell me what I can do to help.

Charming groans and Snow’s attention goes to him at once. She takes his hand, focusing on him as Stiltskin begins working.

CHARMING   
(weakly)   
Snow?

SNOW   
I’m here, James!

CHARMING   
I’m… sorry… 

He falls back unconscious.

SNOW   
James!   
(to Stiltskin when she   
gets no response)    
Doc!

STILTSKIN  
He’s lost a lot of blood,   
he’s unconscious.

SNOW   
But… 

She is clearly worried out of her mind and trying to hold herself together, to be brave. Stiltskin glances up at her for a brief second.

STILTSKIN   
(significantly)   
I don’t operate on lost causes, Officer.

She looks up at him, a flare of hope in her eyes along with gratitude for the doctor’s grudging kindness.

STILTSKIN (CONT)  
Now, if you’re going to be in my way,   
scrub in and at least hand me what I need!

She moves at once to do what he says.

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE - AS BEFORE

All eyes in the room follow Henry’s accusatory finger towards Colonel Rheulgorm.  

Rheulgorm looks stunned for a moment, but then that nasty smile spreads over her face again. 

HENRY   
It was all her plan, it had to be. She used her   
power as acting second in command to sign   
off on new blueprints for _Aurora_.   
Without surge protectors.

KING  
Colonel Rheulgorm? Do you have   
anything to say to this?

RHEULGORM   
Of course.

Quick as a flash, Rheulgorm draws her sidearm (weapons are not permitted in the SOC, no-one else is armed) and grabs Perkins, holding the gun to his head. Perkins whimpers.

KING   
Colonel, put down your weapon.

RHEULGORM  
Don’t you get it? You’re not the one in   
charge here. Not for much longer anyway,   
so I might as well cut the act.

KING   
What is going on here, Colonel?!

RHEULGORM  
It’s really quite simple. The wormhole   
project could never have been   
allowed to succeed. It would have been   
a disaster for the human race.

KING  
The wormhole project was the greatest step   
towards lasting transgalactic peace that has   
ever been made in the history of Force Base!

RHEULGORM  
Exactly. As long as there’s peace in   
this galaxy, we can never hope to   
expand across it as we have the   
potential to do.

KING  
You’re talking about humans   
colonising the entire galaxy?

RHEULGORM   
We _are_ the dominant species, after all. 

NOVA  
Just because we’re the dominant species   
on _Earth_ doesn’t mean we’re the dominant   
species everywhere! Some of these races   
have been here for millions of   
years longer than we have!

Perkins, despite his precarious position, pipes up.

PERKINS  
The Eldar were here at the beginning   
of the universe!

Rheulgorm presses the weapon more firmly against his temple and he shuts up sharpish.

RHEULGORM    
(bored)    
Oh, do be quiet, the lot of you. 

Whilst Rheulgorm is distracted evil-monologuing, Henry slips out of sight behind Nova and King. Nova realises what he’s doing and steps a little closer to the general to provide cover for Henry as he drops down under one of the desks and begins shuffling round the room on hands and knees under the cover of the desks. Nova watches his progress, increasingly worried.

RHEULGORM (CONT)  
Of course, once you start getting   
peaceful co-existence between the races,   
you get the interbreeding.

She shudders with revulsion at the thought of it. 

RHEULGORM (CONT)  
We were not meant to mix with inferior   
races and once the galaxy is at each   
other’s throats once more, there’ll be   
no fear of any further… genetic contamination.

Nova looks a little bit like she’s going to faint. After all, Nova’s good friends with Lacey, who’s in an interracial marriage…   

NOVA   
That’s just  wrong . 

By this point Henry has made his way around the room and popped up behind Rheulgorm. The others in the room look pensive as he picks up a large computer manual from one of the desks and creeps up behind the colonel. 

RHEULGORM   
No, it’s what’s necessary for our   
survival as a _ pure  _ species…

Henry rushes forward and smacks Rheulgorm upside the head with the manual. She staggers, letting go of Perkins and losing her grip on her weapon. She clutches her head, whirling around and snarling at Henry.

RHEULGORM (CONT)   
You little brat!

Meanwhile, Perkins has kicked the weapon towards King, who picks it up and levels it at Rheulgorm before she can go after Henry, who’s dived under the nearest desk again. 

KING   
Colonel! On the ground!

Rheulgorm realises that she’s lost the upper hand and, scowling, gets down on her knees, hands on her head. Henry scrabbles up from under the desk and runs over to Nova, who hugs him.

NOVA  
Please never do something like that   
again. I want to hand you back to   
your mom in one piece.

The rest of the officers are all still shaken from what just happened, but King takes charge with ease. 

KING   
Perkins, alert security.

PERKINS   
Yes sir. 

He returns to his desk, rubbing his temple where the weapon was jammed against it, and opens a comms channel. 

KING  
Whilst they’re at it they can arrest the   
Master Engineer as well.

He returns his attention to Rheulgorm. 

KING (CONT)  
As for you, Colonel, your little   
coup has failed.

HENRY  
You were too late anyway. We’ve   
already spoken to the Tau,   
they know everything.

Rheulgorm just laughs.

RHEULGORM  
You’re still going to have to fire on __Aurora  
when she comes into the Base, controlled   
by hostile forces. It’s Star Force policy.

Nova reacts with a wide-eyed start, hands going over her mouth.

RHEULGORM (CONT)  
All that time, all that energy into bringing   
her home safely only for the crew to be   
killed on the doorstep.

King’s fuming, beyond furious.

KING   
No . 

Two security staff rush into the SOC and King gestures to Rheulgorm.

KING (CONT)  
Take her down to detention. I can’t stand   
to have her in my sight.

Rheulgorm is still smirking as she’s frogmarched out of the room. 

KING (CONT)   
Nova, get back online and monitor all incoming   
communication from _ Aurora _ . Perkins, scramble a   
task force to the hangar and send a   
message to all internal security pilots,  
under no circumstances are they to   
fire on _ Aurora Borealis _ . 

He looks at Henry, who’s looking relieved that his mom’s not going to be blown up on sight but still worried about what’s going on. 

KING (CONT)  
Whoever comes out of that ship,   
we’ll be ready for them.

CUT TO:

INT.  _ Aurora Borealis _ BRIDGE - DAY

Hordor and a number of goons are still on the bridge. He is over next to Snow’s station with one of the goons trying to get warp back online (and not-so-gently interacting with the station).

HORDOR  
What do you mean, warp just ‘somehow’   
went offline?

GOON 3  
Just what I said, sir. No power-down,   
no nothing, just FFFT. Gone. I’ve tried   
everything I know to get it to start   
back up, but--

HORDOR  
Alright, alright… Who do we have   
with Engineering experience?

GOON 3   
You mean, still alive, sir?

HORDOR  
OF COURSE I MEAN STILL ALIVE, YOU IDIOT.   
They can’t very well fix the warp core   
if they’re DEAD, now can they??   
So who do we have?

From behind them, Hook speaks, startling the renegades.

HOOK   
Oh, I thought you ‘didn’t need help.’

Hordor and the other renegades whip around to see the Aurora’s crew (minus Charming, Stiltskin, Snow, Gus, and Thomas) standing at the exit, everyone fully armed and weapons trained. They are a bit battered, but triumphant, they know they’ve gained the upper hand - a hero tableau.

WALSH  
(vengefully)  
That’s what you told our ambassador,   
isn’t it.

HOOK   
You’re the only ones left.   
You’re out-gunned and out-numbered.    
(beat)   
Stand. Down.

Hordor looks at his remaining men, seems to think about their chances, then reluctantly lifts both his hands in surrender. The rest of them follow suit.

HOOK (CONT)  
(with great relish)  
Lieutenant Knight, I think there’s a brig cell   
with their names on it. Lock them up and   
keep watch til we arrive back at the Base.

Knight moves to follow the order and the others fan out from the exit, still keeping their weapons ready in case someone tries something.

KNIGHT   
Yes, captain.

LEYAH   
A  non-busted cell, please.

KNIGHT   
(chuckles)   
Yes, commander.

Knight escorts the remaining renegades out. They will face trial for their actions back at Force Base. Hook reclaims his position with a smile.

HOOK  
Tink, contact the Base, update them on our status.   
Walsh, go dig Gus and Thomas out of hiding and   
get the warp core back online. On your way,   
get Snow out of medbay, we’ll need her to get the   
coordinates ready for when we have power.

A chorus of ‘aye, captain’ as they all move to their stations.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR


	5. Act Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Licie - This is my favorite part, I think it's got some of the best writing I've done. And of course, my favorite scene of Worry's is the Stiltskin/Lacey reunion. After all, Star Force wouldn't be here without the story of Belle and Rum that started it off. And Lacey gets the last spoken dialogue of the whole series! Fitting, no? This has been such a fun partnership and I look forward to working with Worry again. I will always be a StarForcer.

ACT FIVE

FADE IN:

INT. FORCE BASE HUB - DAY

Nova is sitting at her desk biting her nails and refreshing the screen every three seconds. An incoming message flashes up on the screen and she gets tangled up in her headphones going to answer it. 

NOVA   
Tink?  

CUT TO:

INT.  _ AURORA BOREALIS _ BRIDGE - DAY

The crew are all back at their stations. Tink is beaming. 

TINK  
Yes, it’s me. We’ve taken back control of   
the ship. The hostiles are locked   
down in the brig.

CUT TO: 

INT. FORCE BASE HUB - AS BEFORE

The scene switches back and forth between  _ Aurora  _ and Force Base throughout.

NOVA  
Oh, thank heavens. I’ve been so worried   
I’ve got no fingernails left. I was about   
to start on my toes.

Tink makes a face.

TINK   
That’s… disgusting. 

NOVA  
I was desperate. Crew status,   
are you all okay?

TINK  
Charming’s sustained major injuries,   
the doc’s working on him now, so   
he should pull through, but he’ll need   
urgent attention when we arrive. Everyone   
else is okay. What’s the situation down there?

NOVA  
We’ve got a task force standing   
by for your re-entry.

TINK  
We’re secure now but better safe   
than sorry. What else is happening?

NOVA  
Fighters are ready to take out the renegade   
ships en route and the Tau have offered   
us their Castellan fleet to help. Turns out your   
hostiles weren’t Tau at all.

TINK   
Yeah, we worked that out too. 

NOVA  
We’ve had an interesting time. This goes   
way deeper than you think, Tink. The attack   
just now, it’s all related to the wormhole   
incident. It was Colonel Rheulgorm!

TINK   
(alarmed)   
What?

NOVA  
The colonel! She ordered _Aurora_ to be   
sent out without surge protectors to   
sabotage the wormhole and start an   
interspecies transgalactic war!

Tink just looks gobsmacked and doesn’t speak. 

NOVA (CONT)  
(unperturbed by the lack of response)  
Yes, that was pretty much my reaction too.   
Anyway, she arranged for the not-Tau to   
board _Aurora_ to kick off the antagonism again.   
Something about blood purity and   
humans taking over the galaxy.

Tink rubs her forehead, trying to take it all in. 

TINK   
Right. That all makes sense.    
(beat)   
To someone. Somewhere.

There’s a pause whilst she scratches her head, but then it’s back to business.

TINK (CONT)  
I’m sure you can fill us in when we get   
back. As long as we get the warp core   
back together again, we should be on   
track to arrive on time as planned.

Nova grins, bouncing up and down in excitement. 

NOVA  
We’ll see you then! Well done everyone!   
We’ll have medical teams standing   
by for you. Good luck!

TINK   
We’re going to need it.   
_ Aurora Borealis _ out.

Nova cuts the connection and sits back, giving a happy sigh, and she opens an internal comms channel to King. 

NOVA   
Hub to General King.

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE SOC - DAY

King, Henry and the remaining SOC staff are all pensively watching monitors. King touches his comm.

KING   
This is King.

NOVA (V.O.)  
 _Aurora Borealis_ is secure. They’re refitting   
the warp core and hope to be back at   
base on schedule.

King smiles, giving a sigh of relief. 

KING  
Thank the stars. Good work, Officer   
Nova. Keep me informed.

NOVA (V.O.)   
Copy that, sir. Nova out. 

King relaxes a little bit. It’s all going to be all right now. Then he frowns. Something’s not right. 

KING   
Wait… 

The penny drops. 

KING (CONT)   
Surge protectors!

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - AS BEFORE

Tink cuts the connection and turns round to the others. 

TINK  
You’re never going to believe this. Colonel   
Rheulgorm is behind the attack. She   
sent _Aurora_ to the wormhole without surge   
protectors to intentionally sabotage   
everything and now this…

The rest of the crew take a moment to digest this information. 

ARENDELLE   
Wait…   
(panic)   
No surge protectors?!

She lifts her hand to her ear, but none of them have replaced their comms since they were taken. Instead, she immediately turns back to her station and presses a button.

ARENDELLE (CONT)   
Bridge to engineering!

‘Red light’ noise. It didn’t go through. She tries again, more frantic.

ARENDELLE (CONT)   
Bridge to engineering!

‘Red light’ noise again.

HUNTER  
We disabled all security protocols   
in engineering, the internal   
comm is down.

Arendelle is already on her feet and headed out the door. Leyah and Hook follow her.

ARENDELLE   
(as she goes)   
We’ve got to stop them!

LEYAH   
Why? What’s going on?

HOOK  
(to Hunter)  
Stay here, mind the bridge. Tink,   
get our comms back.

They exit the bridge at speed.

CUT TO:

INT. AURORA CORRIDORS - CONTINUOUS

The three crew members book it as fast as they can down to engineering, with Arendelle leading the way.

ARENDELLE  
(speaking quickly)  
Think of the warp core like a computer. Removing   
the part was essentially like a hard boot.   
But without surge protectors, the warp core   
would have to be re-engaged in ‘safe mode.’

HOOK   
So?

ARENDELLE   
So! The engineering crew  doesn’t know that !   
They’re going to pop the part back in,   
not knowing that it will automatically make   
the core surge to full power. And going from   
a dead stop to full power will likely trigger   
us into warp - We could get flung to the   
other end of the galaxy   again !

They get it. OH SHIT.

CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - SAME TIME

DRAMATIC MUSIC CUE! Slow-motion as Walsh is trying to refrain from rolling his eyes too much as he assists Gus and Thomas with putting the part back into the dark warp core. 

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE - SAME TIME

King is silently and urgently explaining it to Nova, who scrambles to get back in touch with Tink.

CUT TO: 

INT.  _ AURORA  _ CORRIDORS - SAME TIME

Continued slow-motion as Arendelle, Hook, and Leyah run for Engineering! They’re almost there! Maybe they can make it!

Their mouths open, we don’t hear the words, but they are obviously yelling for the engineering crew to stop for the love of all things!

CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - SAME TIME

Continued slow-motion as Walsh is looking over to the door in confusion, hearing the panicked sounds approaching. But Gus and Thomas are focused on their mission to restore their girl, close on Gus’s hand as it goes to the last cable.

It slowly makes its descent towards the data port as the music swells!

End slow-motion. Just as Hook, Leyah, and Arendelle make it through the doorway, Gus plugs in the cable and the flight crew looks on in horror as the warp core suddenly surges up, bright and full powered, and keeps surging until the light is blinding, like in the pilot episode.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS

_ Aurora  _ goes through her zero-to-warp sequence on screen about three times faster than she normally would in a regular cut scene. The ship gives a LURCH as it is forced to jump to maximum warp.

CUT TO:

INT.  _ AURORA  _ \- VARIOUS

Shots of the whole crew (minus Charming who is safely locked into a med bay bed) being THROWN to the floor, having had no warning about strapping in this time. 

CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - DAY

The g-force is so strong that it takes all of Hook’s strength to drag himself across the grating, inch by painful inch, until finally, he grabs hold of a cable, just hoping it’s the right one, and YANKS. HARD.

The core wavers, then loses power again. Sparks fly off of the console and it begins smoking.  _ Aurora  _ did NOT like having parts  yanked out of her all day. (You wouldn’t like it either.)

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS

The  _ Aurora  _ careens out of warp. Without power, she is just gliding, but the momentum is such that they are still moving at considerable speed.

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Maximum turbulence! Hunter lifts his head and looks at the display screen. Seeing that they are no longer in the shiny column of warp-speed, he looks over at Snow. She is also on the floor and is just lifting her head and touching it with her hand.

HUNTER   
SNOW! BRAKES!

She gets it. Snow gets to her station as fast as she can under such turbulence and hauls herself back up to the seat. She lifts the cover from a big red button stamped ‘EMERGENCY BRAKE’ and SLAMS her hand down on that fucker.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS

_ Aurora _ ’s backup engines flare to life on reserve power and fire in reverse to stop the momentum.

End dramatic music cue. Silence.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT.  _ AURORA  _ \- VARIOUS

Shots of the crew members picking themselves up off the floor. A few have sustained minor injuries, but nothing to really worry about. They look at each other, Stiltskin and Charming in the med bay wondering what the hell just happened, and the crew down in engineering, wondering how far they’ve traveled this time with an overhanging sense of dread. Have the last four years been for naught?

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - DAY

Hunter is the first one to regain his feet. As he turns his attention to the display screen, his expression goes slack. He is stunned, but the audience can’t tell yet what that means.

One by one, the rest of the crew on the bridge sees what Hunter is seeing. Their expressions are mirrors of each other. They can’t believe what they’re seeing.

Tink recovers herself first and completes a sequence of commands on her screen that had been interrupted earlier when they were thrown to the floor. She clears her throat to gain Hunter’s attention.

TINK   
Comms are back on.

Hunter goes to the nearest command station and presses the comm button.

CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - CONTINUOUS

Everyone in engineering startles as Hunter’s voice is heard.

HUNTER (V.O.)   
Hunter to Engineering.

Close on Hook and Leyah. They both are dreading what they’re about to hear. Seeing Hook hesitate to answer the comm, Leyah reaches out and takes Hook’s hand. He looks at her. She nods. He takes a breath and presses the button.

HOOK   
Hook, here. Where are we now?

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Shot of Hunter, still looking at the display screen, but his eyes have gained a new light, or maybe a light that had just been absent for four years.

The shot pans around to over Hunter’s shoulder, giving his POV. As the camera pans, in the background we see Tink is on the comm, trying to speak but crying, and Snow is just staring at the screen like she can’t decide whether to fall apart or start laughing.

Finishing the pan, we see that the entire view screen is filled with the image of Force Base.

THE FUCKING WARP SURGE WAS THE LAST PUSH THEY NEEDED TO GET THEM ALL THE WAY HOME. And heroic music cue!

The POV cuts back to Hunter, whose smile is growing by the second even as his eyes are watery, even though he can hardly believe it himself. He activates the comm again.

HUNTER   
(to Hook)   
We’re home.

CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING - CONTINUOUS

Reaction shot of everyone in Engineering, ranging from ‘huh?’ to ‘Hunter better not be fucking with me’ to ‘it can’t be possible.’

CUT TO:

INT. MED BAY - CONTINUOUS

Stiltskin running out of med bay, leaving Charming calling after him.

CUT TO:

INT. FORCE BASE - CONTINUOUS

Shot of Nova with a comms headset, talking and crying, presumably with Tink, as everyone in the background is celebrating and pointing up at the big bank of monitors, all of which are showing the  _ Aurora Borealis _ in orbit.

THEY ARE HOME.

Other monitors are showing the fake Tau ships being taken out by flying formation Force Base fighter ships in a spectacle of explosions, framing the beautiful image of  _ Aurora _ .

Close on General King and his emotional reaction. The camera pans down as he pats Henry’s shoulder, who is standing at the older man’s side, a visual representation of the old order and the new order of Star Force.

Henry’s smile could power the whole base for a decade.

CUT TO: 

INT.  _ Aurora Borealis _ HANGAR - Day

Several Force Base employees have gathered in the hangar, forming a crowd, and security are holding back the press, all of whom are chattering away excitedly into their cameras and microphones (work out what they’re saying later), because this is a momentous occasion and deserves the proper gossip. In the crowd of Force Base staff, King, Nova, and Henry are front and centre. 

_ Aurora _ ’s ramp comes down - no dry ice, but it looks like there should be - and the crew begin to exit, to much cheers and applause from the crowd. Hook is the first to come down, swaggering along, absolutely loving the attention, really playing it up for the press. The crowd goes wild. Behind him, Leyah rolls her eyes, but then catches sight of Henry, who’s waving to her frantically. 

HENRY   
Mom!

Leyah’s sedate exit goes out of the proverbial window as she rushes down the ramp, pushes past Hook and runs towards her son, throwing her arms around him, and Hook just looks on with a fond smile. Hunter and Arendelle come next, both a little overwhelmed by the vast amounts of attention that they’re getting, but they share an embarrassed giggle, and the audience can make of that what they will. 

HUNTER   
I almost can’t believe it.

ARENDELLE  
I know. If Snow hadn’t hit the brakes   
when she did, we might have overshot   
the base completely.

HUNTER  
And gone to the other side   
of the galaxy.

ARENDELLE  
I think I’ve seen enough of   
it for now.

CUT TO: 

INT. CHARMING’S QUARTERS - simultaneous

Snow and Stiltskin are helping Charming get his uniform on over all his bandages. 

STILTSKIN   
(mutters darkly)  
If you expire through your own   
stubbornness, I refuse to be held responsible.

SNOW  
The doc’s right, James.   
You nearly died today.

CHARMING   
It’s the principle of the thing. We’re home.   
There are thousands of people watching   
this ship right now. I am walking out there   
proudly in my uniform. I want them to   
know that I survived. Not that I barely made it.

STILTSKIN   
You  did barely make it. 

He fusses around over Charming’s bandages for a while longer before waving him on his way with a dramatic flourish. 

STILTSKIN (CONT)  
There, off you go, I wash my hands of you.   
If we’re going for looking our best, I’d   
rather not come out wearing a coat that   
looks like I just disembowelled someone. 

Snow takes a look at his blood-splattered labcoat and nods sagely. Stiltskin leaves and Snow and Charming are left alone for what’s going to be the last time for a while. 

SNOW   
Are you ready?

CHARMING  
As I’ll ever be. It’s good to be home   
(but... )

SNOW  
We’ll work something out. We always do.   
We’ve got through this much.

CHARMING  
Yeah, anything that comes next should   
be plain sailing in comparison.

They both laugh, which makes Charming groan painfully, and then Snow offers Charming her arm for support. 

SNOW   
Shall we?

CHARMING   
No time like the present.

They leave the room.

CUT TO: 

INT.  _ AURORA BOREALIS _ HANGAR - immediately following

A medical gurney, covered in a black zipped up body bag, is being wheeled down  _ Aurora _ ’s ramp by two medical officers, presumably carrying away Miss Greenie’s body. A few media people take pictures, but they don’t disturb the medical crew.

Knight, Gus, and Thomas are all on the ground watching as Walsh tries to persuade Chistery to come out of the hatch. The monkey is rather overwhelmed by the amount of people, but eventually calms down when Walsh gathers him up tenderly in his arms and carries him out like a baby. Cue the world’s biggest “AWWWWWW!!!” from the crowd, and Chistery, no longer afraid and now revelling in the attention, starts preening. 

Tink comes out of the hatch and looks around, being caught completely off guard by Nova running over and glomping her, and the two women end up in a heap on the floor. Knight has to go and untangle them. 

Snow and Charming appear at the top of the ramp and look around before making a slow descent. Snow keeps her arm around Charming, just in case he needs some extra support. Though Charming’s complexion is a bit waxy, and his mouth is a bit tight, he manages to stay on his feet all the way to the medical transport. 

Finally Stiltskin (wearing a clean coat) comes down the ramp and looks around at the gathered crowd of Force Base staff, his eyes scanning the faces desperately in search of one in particular. 

Towards the back of the crowd there’s a disturbance, people are moving aside as a woman in a dark blue medical centre uniform runs through them, elbowing people to the side. She’s got brown hair, beautiful blue eyes and an accent you wouldn’t soon forget. It’s Lacey. 

LACEY  
(still pushing past people)   
Excuse me, coming through, watch out,   
coming through!

She finally reaches the front, bursts out of the crowd and comes to a stop just in front of Stiltskin, as if, now she’s here, she can’t quite believe he’s real. Stiltskin, for his part, just looks at her with all the love in the world in his eyes. He’s home at last. 

STILTSKIN   
(Shyly)   
Hello, Lace. 

Lacey opens her mouth to say something, thinks better of it and throws herself into his arms, grabbing his coat lapels and pulling him in for a kiss that’s been four years overdue. Some of the gathered crowd cheer and applaud, Hook wolf whistles and Leyah thumps him. Finally the reunited couple break away.

LACEY  
Never, ever, ever do that again!   
You hear me? You… Oh come here!

She kisses him again. When she finally lets him up for air, Stiltskin laughs.

STILTSKIN  
Don’t worry, I don’t plan on it. Stars   
above, Lacey. I’ve missed you, my little dove.

LACEY   
I missed you too.

They share a moment then, just staring into each other’s eyes, each drinking in the real sight of the other after so long with only photographs for comfort (ahem, we won’t mention the exact nature of the photos Stiltskin had with him). 

STILTSKIN   
(Softly)    
Let’s go home.

LACEY   
(She nods)    
Yes. Home. 

Pan out across the base as they embrace again and the crowd continues to cheer.

FADE TO: 

MONTAGE of shots of the characters getting their lives back on track after their misadventures, with some kind of happy, boppy soundtrack. 

Snow and Charming go together to Charming’s house and speak to Kathryn. A moment after Kathryn opens the door, a man joins her at her side. It is awkward for a moment before Charming just opens up with the truth. Whilst we can’t hear what’s said, the conversation is amiable and Charming shakes hands with both Kathryn and her paramour before he leaves with Snow. In the taxi moving away from the house, they admire Snow’s ring and we get the impression a wedding band will be joining it shortly, and then kiss. 

Walsh has quit the engineering corps and is working at a sanctuary for endangered alien species, Chistery still on his shoulder as he gives talks to school groups about wildlife conservation. 

Hook has moved in with Leyah and Henry and they’re a nice happy family now. Hook sits on a couch with Henry, both of them looking at a tablet which displays textbook pages on interstellar travel. Leyah joins them on the couch, with Henry in between them. Henry notices the shoelace on her wrist and points out his shoes - he’s still wearing the white shoelaces with black shoes. He hadn’t replaced them because she had said they would go shopping when she got back. She kisses his head.

Gus has been promoted to the central engineering crew and is ensuring that all ships being refitted have surge protectors installed before leaving the hangar. Thomas has replaced Gus as  _ Aurora _ ’s chief engineer and is still taking good care of their distinguished lady. 

Hunter, Knight, and Arendelle have all been promoted and are serving together on another ship. Hunter and Arendelle are very happy that they now get the big command chairs, which makes Knight chuckle a little, but then he already had a big chair. 

Tink and Nova are having a girls’ night out (details to be worked out later once they wake from their hangovers and start piecing together the blacked out blur… but copious amounts of tequila are involved). 

Stiltskin and Lacey are decorating a nursery; they share a kiss and coo over her very pregnant belly. They certainly didn’t waste a moment in making up for lost time. 

General King is playing space golf with some envoys from the other planets in the wormhole project, including the Tau High Commander, no sign of war on the horizon. 

Rheulgorm is wearing a yellow jumpsuit and looking quite ready to jump out of her cell window into deep space as her cellmate snores.

Pan out from her cell window into deep space as the  _ Aurora Borealis _ shoots past, powering up to warp speed, the warp dissolves into the end credits.  

END OF SERIES

 


End file.
